Why there was no review of "Atlas Shrugged"

Although people like to find a political conspiracy behind everything, the simple reason that the Journal Sentinel did not review "Atlas Shrugged Part 1" today was because it was not previewed in advance. »Read Full Blog Post

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Don't worry, I'm sure the same right-wing echo chamber that encouraged its listeners to vote for Bristol Palin on "Dancing with the (ahem) Stars" because it somehow sends a message to the liberal elites, are encouraging those same listeners to go see this movie because, somehow, it'll send a message to the liberal elites in Hollywood.

Remember these are the same folks who thought "An American Carol" was a masterpiece.

It took me along time, but I finally bought the book (I spent alot of time on airplanes and hotels) a few years ago. It is actually a pretty good read, if you filter it, and put into context. I won't rabidly defend every principle put into it, but I certainly agreed with some of the broad strokes.That being said, I think a movie would be terrible, much like 90% of the Steven King adaptations.

Rand was a well known Anti-God/Athiest propagandist. Her novel is the same. She is one of the interesting figures produced in post WW II Europe. She became what she hated. An anti- God, anti people individualist that targeted religous groups based on her athiestic beliefs. Rand viewed people workign together as a weakness and the downfall of humanity. She ended up hating people who could function in groups. This led to her schizoid type detachment from others and belief that individuals were more powerful than God. So Rand rejected God as an irrational and primitive belief. As she processed her own self-centered "I am the victim" beliefs she did what many vicitm styled thinkers do when they feel the system does not work: seek vigilanty justice. Unable to overcome her early life trauma she viewed the world through her victimstance and the world was the perpetrator. Unable to hold herself accountable she blamed others. As she balmed others she generalzed her self pity to groups and never came to terms with her deep emotional pain. She also was unable to see herself for what she was: a tortured person willing to intellectuallybalem groups she disliked. She became hateful toward systems that she felt failed to protect her and her people during WW II and after. Her inabilty to empathize with others led to Rand's difficulty becoming connected to humanity. Her vision in the post war era was a product of her own disenfranchizement at a young age and her philosophy became the base for aethiest to attack groups they deemed irrational.

There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-y­ear old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievab­le heroes, leading to an emotionall­y stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs. "

Late in life when she needed gov't-assisted healthcare and other entitlements she was eager to accept it, contrary to the the philosophy that defined her. In other words, like most right wing nuts (and most politicians for that matter), she was a hypocrite. Go figure.

I'm 57 and read Atlas Shrugged for the first time last year and loved it. Can't wait to see this movie this afternoon. I know that being conservative means never seeing your favorite books or media reviewed in the mainstream media or if they are reviewed they are broadly panned. So, I never expected the MJS to review it even if it was sent out for preview. On the ultra-rare case it is reviewed, I know that they will find some means to hate it. Example: A long time ago there was a movie called "The Omega Code" that the MJS reviewed. Nothing was really said about the movie. Instead the reviewer saw a "conspiracy" in it because one bad guy wore what, if you looked really close, a frock that made him look like a RC priest. The whole review centered on that. Nothing was said about the story, the craftsmanship of the filmmaker, or the acting. Just that the movie was "blatently anti-Catholic". Go figure.

I know that being conservative means never seeing your favorite books or media reviewed in the mainstream media or if they are reviewed they are broadly panned. So, I never expected the MJS to review it even if it was sent out for preview. On the ultra-rare case it is reviewed, I know that they will find some means to hate it.

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"Conservative" movies aren't widely reviewed, distributed, or praised because they're all crap. Let me put it in terms you might understand: There is no market demand, and the potential for profit is minimal. Sure, this movie will appeal to the hardcore teabagger crowd, and a few literary-types who are curious. But really...you need read no further than Mr. Dudek's comment about the distributor - they specialize in "political & religious films." Translation: CONSERVATIVE and religious films (one & the same, aren't they?). I would bet the $15M budget for Atlas Shrugged is significantly higher than any other film they've ever distributed, which is why it will probably actually make it into a theater. The rest? Straight to DVD, just like the rest American Pie 4 thru 15. Or are they on 14 now....?